Lacing.



, F- W. WHITGHER.

name. I APPLIUATION'FILED MAY 16, 1908.

Patented Oct. 27,1908.

O am m UNITED STATES if PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK W. WHITCHER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A$SIGNOR TO FRANK W. WHITOHER COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

A LAGING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

Application filed May 16, 1906. Serial No. 317,094.

To all whom it may concern: Be itlinown that I, FRANK W.Wnrro1mu,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massa chusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in .Lacings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to. the accompanying drawings.

My invention has for its object the production of new and improved lacing for use and then subjecting the end of the icing to pressure in dies of proper-shape, which gives to the the desired shape and renders it su'llicient y stiff and unyielding, so that it may be readily passed through the eyelets in the article with which it is to be used. The application of composition to the end of the lacing also prevents the fabric of which the lacing is composed from spreading out or fraying, and maintains it incondition to be readily inserted in the holes in the article with which. it is to be used.

I also contemplate the manufacture of my improved lacing tips from certain fabrics composed of fibers which when proieriy compressed become sullicie'ntly solidified without the use of composition.

The invention will be fully understood from the following specification taken in connection with the accom )anying, drawings, and the novel features thereof are pointed out andclearly delincd'in the claim at the close of the specification.

In the drawings,- Figure 1 is a side view of the tip of a completed lacing;- embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sec tion of the material of which the lacing tip is com )osed, the end portion of the said material eing folded back into the position which it assumes before it is filled with the composition and subjected to pressure in the dies.

Fig. 3 is a lrmgitudinul section of the completed lacing tip on'ibodying my invention.

Referring to the drzuvings,-the*body of the lacing is indicated by the reference charactor A. The lacing may be made of any suitable material, preferably the ordinary tubular braided fabric. After the lacing i. has been out to the desired length, the end portion B of the lacing is turned back upon itself that is, turned inside out for such a distance as'is required to form. a lacing tip of the length desired. A suitable amount of com )osition of the proper kind is then aplied to the turned back end of the lacing. lhis composition may be made of any suitable material, but is preferably one which will permeate the fabric composing the/lac ing, and will harden and, stiffen when sub jected to pressure. The composition may be applied to the exterior of the lacing, but ll. lindithat best results are obtained. by iii-- serting a suitable amount of the composition within the hollow end of the lacing. The end of the lacing is then subjected to pressure in dies of suitable form. This pressure applied by the die to the fabric corn posing the lacing and to the composition applied thereto forces the composition through the material and gives to the tip the ropcr form, s seen at C in Fig. 1, and solidi fies the lacing: material and the composition,

so that a stiff and un ieldin ti of a horn-.

like consistency is formed which resists bending, prevents the fabric from raveling, and is im ermeable by moisture.

'l hile [have described my improved lacing tip as a composition tip, that is one composed of fabric permeated or treated with some suitable com .osition and. compressed, I do not wish to be imitcd to the use of composition, because I believe that a satisfactory tip ma be made of fabric composed of certain-kim s of libe which when subjected to proper pressure for the right length of time will be solidified as desired without the ap ilioation of separate composition.

- believe that lacing tips formed in the .manner which I have described are much cheaper to manufacture than those hereto-- fore made, because. the fabric may be turned backward at the end of the tubular lacing much more readily than it can be folded into any other form so far as now known to me.

That I claim is: The improvei'l tip for lacings consisting of a portion of tubular fabric folded back on itself on the outside and compressed.

In testimony whereof I ullix m y signature, in presence of two witnesses.

FRAN h: N. W l l lll l Edit. Witnesses:

GEORGE P. than, Josnrnmn it. Leno. 

